


Shards Series

by Facedash



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Characters Progression, Dorks in Love, F/F, Fluff, Humor of some sort..., Inspired by Music, Light Angst, Lost Time Travel Power, Max is not a wimp, Normal Life, Sacrifice Chloe Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-03-31 11:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13973772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Facedash/pseuds/Facedash
Summary: First attempt at writing fanfictions. One-shot based collection of short and sweet stories. Fluff and cuteness overload guaranteed! Not every time, because it's all about harmony. Like in life, you know?(All of these one-shots are part of one big story. Post order =/= timeline order.)





	1. Chill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria's there, she's chilli- erm... "doing stuff". Someone is trying to break down her door! Not really... Only you can find out. Dare to see?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

***THUD THUD***

_Did I hear something?_ \- She pulls one of her earbuds out with a puzzled face - _Nah, that was nothing again… Hate that stupid, fucking feeling, you know? Whenever you put those in — even if you were in the middle of a desert — you could swear that you have heard something or someone calling you. Aaand when you get them out, there is nothing - total fucking silence, like no one even knew of your existence._ \- She sighed deeply, shrugged and placed the earbud back in its place.

***THUD THUD***

Muffled knocking sound struck her ears again, well, it seemed like it did at least - “Oh fuck you…” - she said under her nose, leaning her head back on the couch backrest, frowning and rolling her eyes with the usual annoyed look. She got her earbuds out and faced the doors to her room - _Fucking nothing again, huh? Not a surprise, not at all._ \- she narrows her eyes and flips the door - _I won’t be playing this game anymore! …as if I would even care for anyone’s visit right now._ \- she was right about to put those damn earbuds once again in her damn ears and listen to her **chilli** music — as she used to call it, just in her mind though as she didn’t even want for anyone to know that she is listening to this hipster shit… but she liked it - a lot — and all of a sudden there is another hassling thud on the wooden surface. She flinched grumpily and leaned forward, resting her cheek on her fist, with the other hand on her thigh, fingers tapping on it rhythmically.

 _Oh… so there is someone out there for real. Let's see what this particular lost-in-time-and-space mofo wants…_ \- she sighed again, now even deeper but paused the music and got up in the end. With a scowl on her face, she stalked to the door. After opening them only one thought came to mind.

 _Well, fuck me. I didn’t know I had a freaking jewelry store on the other side of my dorm room doors._ \- she stated in an overexaggerated manner but in a way, it was a perfect description of what she saw. Two outrageously beautiful, crystal clear and vivid sapphires. Shimmering from all of the scattered morning light peering through the cracks in the window blinds. Iridescent and breathtaking, as always - _Maxine Fucking Caulfield._ Victoria was hardly distracted by anything, not even mentioning daydreaming or phasing out, but this was one of those rare occasions. She was transfixed. Visage of pure innocence, the aura of a fresh morning, face dotted with freckles and those goddamn eyes that one could kill for.

 _Wake up Victoria. You are probably looking ridiculously stupid right know. Damn you, Max, you have to do this to me every time? …I am such a coward._ \- she realized her facial expression and changed it in an instant, blushing slightly. 

“So…?” - she asked drawling out, but with a bland face, and one palm resting tightly on a door frame. 

Light breeze moving through the opening made brown coils bounce in the wind and left them disheveled. Single strands of hair dabbed on the soft skin, twisted and tangled on the uneven surface of her facial structure. Cheekbones prominent and colored light pink. She was wearing her too long and too big t-shirt, which ended right above her knees. This was the one she was sleeping in every night.

“Good morning, Victoria.” - Max half-yawned out and rubbed one of her eyes with her hand - “Can I come in?” - she asked giving away a blissful grin.

“Sure, though I wouldn’t expect you at this time of the day.” - Victoria moved back, couple steps away from the entrance. She crossed her arms and awaited Max’s explanation about her early appearance - “Just close the door behind you.”

Max closed the door and turned around. She froze in place after noticing Victoria’s scrutiny. Her muscles became rigid and stiff. She placed one hand on the back of her neck, twisted her mouth in a worried grimace and raised one eyebrow.

“Did I interrupt you in something important?” - she asked rubbing her arm - “Why are you looking at me like that…” - Max muttered while looking down at the floor.

Victoria’s face eased up and she relaxed her pose, letting her arms to fall down.

“Yeah, sorry. And no, you didn’t interrupt anything of major importance. I was just chi—”

_Fuck._

“— lling?” - Max cut in with a cheeky voice and this exited twinkling in her eyes.

_Here we go._

Victoria groaned and pinched her nose.

“…meditating” - She answered with a subtle annoyance in her voice, rolling her eyes.

Max tilted her head to look behind Victoria and she beheld what was laying on the table in front of the sofa. As she concentrated to see what was on the display of Victoria’s phone, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Max’s expression slowly turned from a curious smile and then steadily into a smug one.

Victoria quickly realized what Max could be looking at and her face became glooming with fear and shame, it became red with blush and she turned around on her heel to hastily pick up the phone and lock it.

_I am officially done with._

She then looked back at Max, slowly raising her head. Still blushing madly, with pupils quivering, awaiting for anything that will happen next.

_Just end me, fucking now._

“Well… that’s really strange. I actually recall knowing that track you were listening to and for a fact I know, that you don’t listen to this kind of music. Hmm…” - Max said that like a poor imitation of Sherlock Holmes, tapping with a finger on her chin, looking up - clearly mocking Victoria.

“Haha. Very funny, Caulfield. Your mockery is always on point.” - Victoria frowned and sat with crossed arms on the couch, sulking. She could not help herself so she smiled but instantly turned her head away.

_Let's get this over with. Sigh…_

“Alright, alright! So last Friday I saw you in the courtyard and I realized that you are listening to — probably — your usual hipster shitty tunes, but out of curiosity I picked another path and stopped to look at what are you listening to. You know, because maybe you — by a miracle — changed your music tastes. I know, hopeful and deluded but still… and sooo I remembered what it was. That’s all.” - Victoria splayed herself on the sofa like she just had run a marathon. Begging look on her face, wishful for Max to not ask any more questions. 

_Leave me alone you demon, let me save rest of my pride…_

“Aaand…? It doesn’t explain how this song suddenly appeared on your phone and then it connected with your earbuds, aaand…” - Max stopped in her tracks for a breather - “…” - she wanted to continue but then glanced at Victoria’s face and decided otherwise - “You really like it, don’t you?” - she asked with a pity in her voice.

_Aaand it’s gone…_

Victoria gave up. She leaned her head back and sighed exhausting entirety of her lungs. 

“Can you recommend some more, nerd?”

Max giggled but in a way, Victoria never saw her doing. She seemed so happy and enthusiastic. Little sparkles appeared in her eyes.

“Oh, of course, Miss Chase. I’ll be glad to share my proud collection with a gal such as yourself.” - Max said as she plopped down on the couch with a wide smile on her face and picked up Victoria’s phone - “Let me show you my playlist. You’ll be blown away, young padawan.”

 _I feel like half of her became Price. Well, it’s probably a way to cope with her loss. To remember all the things Max liked about her._ \- She raised her head up and looked at Max who was excitedly tapping on the screen. Victoria closed her eyes and smiled contently - _That’s — ladies and gentlemen — what will await you if you befriend this little beast. And fuck me if I would ever regret that decision._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you, fellow readers enjoyed this creation, then don't be shy and leave a comment down below, so you can tell me to my face how bad my writing really is! Haha, jokes aside, I'd really appreciate feedback. I still have one short fic in stock right now, so it would be helpful to know if people are interested in seeing more, or are just fed up with my poor grammar :sadface:


	2. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max is visiting the most memorable place in the recent time. She's not a softy, she's a strong gal! Forces of evil try to contact her. Will everything work out in the end? Who knows...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!
> 
> *Update* Thank you, everyone, for 100 hits! It's time for celebration. Hmm... thinking I've only created 50 accou... erm... Love you guys!

Pastels blended all over the sky. 

Pink paradise.  
Yellow rays.  
Blue daydream.  
Orange hue. 

The calmness of the ocean - almost silent. 

The light breeze of the wind - almost nonexistent. 

Fading heat of the day - almost warm. 

Lone rock overseeing distant horizon, which now is particularly mesmerizing. Light in even the darkest night. Guidance, a symbol of homecoming - small candle in comparison to the great expanse of the water surface. The last goodbye at the start of your journey and the first welcome at the end. This is the place where it all began, unbelievable story that never happened. Time travel, friendship, death, anxiety, helplessness, laughter, sadness, murder, happiness, love, longing, pain, fear… the end. 

Throughout the week this place never seemed so lonely and distant, now it feels out of this world. It’s Sunday, it's over. Everything is settled, every moment now burned inside the memory. There was no other way, life decided, death executed. Max knows this place by memory now, she didn’t think about coming here at all, it was just an impulse. Faith led her here, to the last place she saw Chloe, where she made her decision. Her decision? No, it wasn’t hers. But in the end, she was life and death. 

She was there, best seats for the end of the world, or at least Arcadia Bay. Her posture leaning forward, head buried in the hands.

 _I wish there would be another way to make all of this work. Though I tried everything and I failed. Chloe was destined to die — as much as even thinking about this makes me feel nauseous and angry at the same time — and still, I wish it was different. How much time truly has passed? Days? Weeks? Years? How much suffering did I leave behind In all of those realities I have created? Why I even had this stupid power, when in reality it was useless… Eh, I guess… I guess it was a lesson? Some sick play orchestrated by Time Lords or whateverthefuck… Trolley problem my ass…_ \- Max sighed deeply.

_Yesterday was Chloe's funeral, but... look at me. What will people say if I'll stay like that? I've shed my fair share of tears for long enough. She's gone and she's not coming back! Am I lacking empathy? I just... don't need more pain in my life._

_Well, everything aside, imagine how pissed Chloe would be if I was sitting all day in my room, engraving her name on my walls with a screwdriver..._ \- Max gasped loudly and dramatically as she covered her mouth with her hands - _she would definitely be mad as hell and_ \- she started to giggle uncontrollably - _then she would probably laugh at how hilarious and stupid of an idea it was._

"Damn you..." - an emotionless whisper came out of her mouth.

 _I'll miss my personal dork but she would want for me to be happy in the end and I won't disappoint her._ \- Max put on a serious face, clenching her fists - _Even if it will be really hard to recover from all this shit that happened lately._

"I will do it for you, Captain Bluebeard!" - she yelled out with a fist high in the air, not caring for anyone to hear. 

_No one's here anyway._

Leaning back on the bench she focused her eyes on the view of the Sun, now halfway dipped into the ocean. Usually pretty romantic and beautiful sight — Golden Hour — which in this situation wasn’t helping at all. Dreamy atmosphere accompanied Max in her thoughts. 

Suddenly something distracted her train of thought, or rather mindless staring into the void of her own messy head. Her phone vibrated and gave out a faint sound. Max quickly searched through her messenger bag and pulled out the phone. A quick glance at the display left her in mild shock. Max’s mouth became slightly open, her face scrunched and her skull full of unanswered questions.

As she quickly glanced over, she realized that this message was from someone she wouldn't ever expect to get it from.

“Text from: …Victoria?” - she whispered under her breath and pursed her lips. Then she decided to read it aloud to be sure to properly understand the message second time around:

[ **Unknown** : Hey Max. I’m sure you are really surprised as of right now, but save that for a later occasion. I just wanted to check in on you. And don’t think I’ve suddenly become your best bud. Nevertheless — as strange as it may sound — I’m worried about your whereabouts. I just hope you are not shedding those hipster tears on another one of your innocent victim’s sleeve. I’m actually getting back from Seattle so I can pick you up on the way to Blackwell. Just message me back if you feel like it. Vic]

Max gulped, her throat dry as ever. She was paralyzed, instantly a shiver came down her spine and made her sit up, holding the phone close to her chest. 

_Really Max? You thought you left all the strangest things behind? Then what is this thing I just read?_ \- she put a palm on top of her head, scrunching her face. 

_Wait… if Victoria is coming back from Seattle, then how does she knows that I’m somewhere else than Blackwell?_ \- Max froze in place for a moment as her eyes opened wide. 

_She probably thought that I couldn’t read between the lines, through the ‘simply being nice’ veil. Strange indeed…_ \- she started to scratch her chin with a deep-in-though expression written on her face. 

_So, should I text her back?_ \- Max sighed. Her shoulders slumped momentarily. 

_Well, Victoria is a bitch, but If I can work her out like before, I can work some magic._

“I’ve read you like a book, Miss Chase.” - Max added with a mischievous look in her eyes.

She then suddenly pulled her arms away from her and with a sly smile spreading upon her mouth, she quickly typed out an answer.

[ **Max** : If you want to throw some more of your creative insults at my face, you can do it in person ;) I’m at the lighthouse, and I’m sure that you’ll find your way here in your Ferrari, though there may not be enough landing space for your private jet, so keep that in mind! ^^]

“Hehe, both can play the game, dear Victoria” - Max was really proud of herself, almost to the point that she wanted to pat herself on the back. So confident and aggressive, no second-guessing herself. This entire week changed her drastically. Max was a real adult now, not just by the title. She had her emotional baggage and she experienced hell, which she will never forget. No matter if an experience is good or bad, positive or negative, makes you feel like you are on a cloud nine or in the torture chamber of your own mind. You just have to learn and Max will grow stronger from now on, she will weight her decisions carefully as not even time travel can solve everything.

After a moment Victoria responded with a short but definitely outright, meaningful text.

[ **Unknown** : On my way, bitch :P]

Max couldn’t help herself as she burst into laughter. Little tears started to gather in her eye corners. She swiped them quickly away and sniffed. A genuine smile appeared on her face, a smile which was absent for too long, even if before last week there were not many happy and smile-worthy days. What always counted was all of the little moments, slivers from the uncut gem of a lifetime. Something inside of her gave away warm feeling that quickly spread throughout her body. 

_It’s so ridiculous, I’m actually excited to see Victoria Chase._ \- her joyful expression faltered a bit.

 _Why is she suddenly nice? Why does she care? Is it a game? I am good at games. Ugh! Come on Max, get your bearings together!_ \- she lightly pounded her forehead with a fist a couple of times. 

_When a door closes, blah blah blah, but please, no more ends of the world. Just give me a free day at least, dammit!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to leave a like, comment and of course, subscribe to my chan... Oh. That's the wrong place, haha. So, anyway... Kudos appreciated, also there are bonus points for comments but you can do whatever you want. It's all about spreading the fun and love, enjoying our beloved characters together. Have a great day! ...or night :wink:


	3. Drift (1/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria is still an Ice Queen and Max definitely embodies a noisiness of the hipster we all love. When they are together though, on their own, they like to embrace their dorkiness. What's the mystery this time around? See it for yourself!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to vent first... This. This piece of shit. I never, ever, worked on something for so long in my life, and you know what? It's stupid, ridiculous and unfunny as hell! Just read it through and brace for the second part (It's almost entirely finished, though I am kinda lazy and first I want to know what the readers think). Maybe you'll make up better insults for my poor excuse of a chapter. Good luck.
> 
> Enjoy!

Girlfriends of now over half a year decided not to split their ways and instead — by the week of time — chose to settle on The Art Institute of Seattle as their next step in education. Shortly after starting college, Max and Victoria moved in together to a flat in the city's suburbs. Two months later Victoria receives a proposition from a photography magazine, residing in a faraway land of San Fran, as both of the girls used to call San Francisco. The invitation included a weekend-long stay at one of the best hotels in the city, for the time of the interview as well as for a photo shoot, joining strengths together with a couple of big names in the business.

Sunday came and with it also came a time to summarize these past two days of amazing, skilled and kind people, glad to help, able to squeeze the most out of you, not being shy to share some tips and words of encouragement. As the bright ball of flames started to drift away towards the horizon, a warm light of the setting sun gave off a cue to conclude yet another day of work.

Victoria thanked everyone for the wonderful time she spent with them during this project. She then drove off back to her staying place to finally be able to relax and chill out, hopefully making her meticulously planned scheme — on which she was contemplating for the past 48h or so — to work out.

 _Home, sweet home... Alabama._ Victoria takes off the shoes as she steps inside of the foyer. Her feet finally resting on something soft and comforting. Bag put down, beside the nightstand. She herself, crashes down on the bed, laying flatly on her stomach. Blonde's face buried in the covers.

*Incoherent, muffled mumbling*

Annoyed and exhausted, she lazily pulls the nearest pillow right under her head, deciding to snuggle in with her right cheek. She then briefly peeks at the watch on her wrist.

 _Hmm... half hour left, then it's a date with destiny._ Victoria sighs casually and throws an arm over, theatrically, to gather the cellphone from a back pocket. She drags her limb on the velvety duvet, eventually glueing her eyes to the blinding display.

 _Let's check who is harassing me now..._ A frown begins to develop on her face.

"F off! I don't need your vacuum-blender-sex toy-device 3in1 bullshit! UGH!" Victoria hurls her smartphone to the other side of the bed.

 _Stupid spam! I'm so busy I still need to get on 4 cruise ships and pick up 2 brand new BMW's, oh and a stainless steel set of silverware with gold plated handles! So infuriating!_ She turns on the back and splays her digits across her visage. Blonde's loud groan faintly echoes within the minimalistic hotel room walls.

 _Tired... No! No naps for you Victoria, you know what happens when you do that. You feel like shit afterward. Just move your ass, prepare everything, sit down, stretch 2 or 3 times, enjoy a... drink?_ Victoria slowly gets up from her bed after 10 minutes of regaining her strength and proceeds towards the fridge. She gets hold of a handle and swings open the door, scanning the interior hastily, checking all of the shelves as well as each of the drawers.

 _Figures, only champagne. Nothing to celebrate and I am definitely not doing so on my own. Flight tomorrow morning - need to be in shape. Crawling down the road - not desirable._ Doors close with a slam, sealing the container shut. Victoria turns 180 degrees and leans against the fridge.

 _And I'm definitely not paying for the delivery-to-my-room service, this shit costs serious cash. I can't support my laziness, I have one blue-eyed laziness living under my roof and it drains money like I drain whiskey..._ Blonde's left hand's fingers start to tap rhythmically on her forearm. Eyes lost in thought, searching for a lead to ultimately quench her thirst.

_There... was a vending machine at the end of the hallway, so I can at least get something to drink. Hah! Always keep spare change with you, kids._

Stepping out of the room into a long corridor, a chilly, slight breeze seeping from the A/C falls on Victoria's exposed neck and makes her quiver. She then saunters a lengthy distance to the other side of the passage, stopping by a vending machine. Victoria takes in a deep breath and exhales sharply through her nose. Her lips pursed, eyes focused, glancing over every single item.

 _Let's see... Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Red Bull..., Water, Orange juice, oh that one has a kick for sure..., Apple juice, Jack Dan-_ She blinks a couple of times in disbelief. Her eyes go wide, pupils flared.

_JACKPOT..._

After a temporary shock that stiffened her entire body, Victoria snaps out of it and precisely hits corresponding buttons on the keypad. Can of liquid falls down with a loud bang. Recovering the object from a tight opening at the bottom, she whirls around and struts back to her suite. Closing the door, blonde ventures out into the kitchen and grabs a glass from the cupboard. With a drink in hand, she strides towards the bedroom.

 _Okey-doke, now all I need is to plug in my Mac, so it can charge it's batteries and call Freckle Face. Easy as it can get._ Victoria recovers a charger from her suitcase and plugs it into the closest outlet, connecting the cord to the laptop. While her computer is turning on, she sits down on her chair, making herself as cozy as workable. As she settles in, she opens skype and calls Max.

 _There is something... Oh, right!_ Suddenly a realization strikes her. _Almost forgot about it, I'm sure she'll crack in like 15 seconds. I am betting 5 bucks, lifetime savings at stake right here._ She chuckles mockingly.

Max accepts the conversation and appears on Victoria's screen.

Brunette straightens her back and salutes solemnly. "Commander."

Blonde does the same as her girlfriend. "Admiral, report time. What's the situation on the mothership? From what I can see the bridge is far from being usable. Why our bed is not made? Erm... I mean, why is the captain's cabin kept untidy? I thought I gave strict orders an-"

As the seriousness of the other girl wavers, she gives it up, at last, cackling and holding her sides, almost falling from the armchair. "Pfh-hahaha! I-I can't! Mercy!!!" Max slides down, under the desk, still dying of laughter.

_So predictable._

Scowl mixed with amusement speak through Victoria. "Seriously, Admiral? This was your idea!"

Max's hand shakingly creeps into the vision from under the desktop, waves and finally grasps on to the surface. "P-please, no... no more..." She then pulls herself up from the ground and plops down on her seat.

"Ehh, I guess it was too goofy, even for you, huh?" Victoria takes a sip from her glass, signature smug adorns her demeanor.

"N-no, the thing is... you were just too good at it!" Max says, trying to sway away random strands of hair from her face.

Propping her chin on her hand, blonde throws a derisive gaze. "Well, I hear that from every one of my lovers after a night, but thanks anyway."

"Wh-what?" Max asks with a semi-serious fright written all over her appearance.

Victoria looks away, innocently. "Nuthin'."

Brunette clears her throat and changes her voice to an android-like one. "Proximity detonation module which I injected under your skin while you were sleeping clearly shows, that no one was closer to you than 1 feet away since Friday, good job!"

"Ha-ha. Oh so very funny, Maxine." Victoria retorts, clearly faking annoyance.

_Well... that was... creative to say the least._

"Oh wait! Someone's getting close..."

Faintest footsteps can be hearable from the outside. It seems they are coming from the opposite end of the hallway.

_That's just random luck, barely impressive._

"Hmm... nice guess, but better luck next time. I'm not going to belie-"

Max puts on a poker face and speaks up somberly. "This person is going to knock on your door in about... 10 seconds. Watch out."

Steps audibly cease in front of Victoria's apartment. Someone knocks two times on the door.

_What the...?_

Her skin pales as she hugs herself. "Fuck you. F-fuck this. I am not opening the door. NOPE!"

Max chimes in with a snarky remark. "Hah, but you were so confident just a second ago. Are you not going to let your lover in?"

_It's not funny! Okay, maybe just a little bit..._

"You are creeping me out, you know?" Fanning her fingers, Victoria imitates a horror trailer voice. "What if that's the scariest, most evil urban legend himself - The Buttstabber?!"

_I hope not!_

A burst of laughter blaringly resonates from within the speakers. "You'll never know If you'll keep him waiting. I'm sure you guys will find common ground. In the end, you were both send from the void to scare little kids."

_Motherfucker..._

Blonde girl regains her composure and slightly sulking flips the bird towards the device. Victoria gets up silently.

_Live fast, die young, or some shit._

Walking to the entrance, she opens the door firmly. "Good evening. Miss Chase, right?" A young lad owning an untamed mess of a hair under a cap, obviously, a courier, stands in front of the now dumbfound girl.

"Yes, but I..."

"I have a bouquet for you, delivered at 8 pm as requested." He raises his hand and in its grasp, a collection of 30 rosey pinks, held together by a neatly knotted ribbon.

_As requested...? What's going on in here?!_

Her sight wanders over to the watch. "Are you sure it's not a mistake or- ?"

He shrugs. "There is your name on the card, Miss. Adress is correct too. You just need to sign it here." The boy shoves a clipboard with the delivery receipt into Victoria's hands.

She signs it doubtfully and returns it back. "Okay... here you go."

Youngster smiles friendly and tips his headwear. "Thank you very much, Miss. Have a great night." He then disappears unnoticed.

_They smell so godly... Is it the new trend in the chloroform circles? Too dark? Who cares. My head - my jokes!_

Victoria intoxicated with the flowery scent stands there, entrancement taking her over. A few seconds later she realized that she didn't bid her adieu. "Oh...! Thank you!"

She shuts the door closed using a full of finesse movement, turning around and bashing the door with a sole of her foot. All smiles and skipping on the way, she perches back down.

"Max! You won't believe it! I think I have a..." Her voice now seductive, trying to make the opposite girl jealous. Wink send in to make it even more of an exaggeration. "...secret admirer."

Brunette makes up a 'cold and distant' mask, half-mumbling and looking away. "Boy, oh boy! Who might that be... I wonder!"

Victoria scrutinizes Max, frowns and huffs as she extracts a little piece of laminated cardboard. "Hmph, you don't need to be jealous."

"Yadda, yadda. Just flip the damn card already..."

"Okay hotshot, chill out, geez..." Her hazel eyes roll. Delicately spreading the message ajar, her vision land on the last line. "It sa-"

"Hmm?"

*CARD READS: There is no one else with whom I'd rather spend the rest of my life, my heart will always be with you, no matter where you are. I'm proud of you and I miss you. Love, Max.*

_Outplayed like a kid... What a bitch..._

Victoria's cheeks turn bright pink. Her dilated pupils tremble, a great clog occupies her throat. "I-I love you too... nerd." She finally musters.

"Hehe." Max's visage lights up as she beams, smiling from eye to eye.

Blonde girl sinks into her seating. With a look of defeat now noticeable throughout her appearance. "Everything planned to the last second... Even the smallest, most intricate details... bravo. You got me good there."

_You win the battle, but not the war!_

"You can run, but you cannot hide." Max leans back, winner's expression enhancing her facial features.

"Hah, now I know... now I know..." Other girl's voice warm and full of sympathy. "You are such a goober, Max."

"That's how I pay my part of the rent." Stupid grin plasters freckled girl's face.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Screw them kudos, just comments matter. I need to know what people feeel, so if you are the beautiful person who reads every note - please consider leaving a mark behind, just a hint, for your ol' faithful.


	4. Drift (2/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of the longest one-shot to the date. If you still want to buy the tickets for this crazy ride, then hop on and don't say I didn't warn you. Your heart will melt!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for the entirety of this piece I can gladly link to this video by Dani Knights [https://bit.ly/2G5fI6M]. 
> 
> Enjoy!

"Well, yeah, about payment. They offered me a nice sum for this interview slash photoshoot, so we are set for the next couple months, I guess. It also depends on how much I'll have to spend on your ass." Victoria squints her eyes piercingly.

"Are you cereal? I'm cheaper in maintaining than a hamster!" Max shoots up her arms into the air.

"I don't think hamsters are reflecting on their lives under a shower, for hours!" Emphasis audibly put on the last word.

Brunette starts to fidget with her fingers. "So what? It's our combined budget..." 

"And you want to spend your entire share, to stand under a waterfall, meditating for god knows how long? Fine, Master Shit-zu." Blonde tightly press the fingers against her temples.

"You are not my mother, mom!"

"Sometimes I feel like one for real..." A deep sigh escapes Victoria's parted lips.

"You are just overdramatizing all of this. Instead, tell me how your day went! A crazy photo shoot with the best photogs. That must have been bananas. Uh! Now I'm kinda jelly..." The girl behind the display crosses her arms.

"Yup, It was pretty neat. Surprisingly there were not a lot of snobs. Dudes and girls, all fine really. The shoot was inspiring enough for me to get the hang of it. I did couple mediocre-at-best shots, so I'll show you them when I'm back." She adds coyly. "We for sure need to visit San Fran once we finish college, this place is so, so, so, sooo... lame." Corners of her mouth turn up. "You'd love it here." 

Max spreads her arms wide, stretching on the fly. "Hmm, I'll hold you to your word then! I am already fired up." 

"Talking fire! That mixtape you gave me before my flight? Sizzling hot!" She pipes up, singing out. "So unputdownable. Not-so-long story short, I've rent a car yesterday morning, you know, so I can drive to the places, here and there, where I need to be. Let's just say, that now they know, why they call me the drift queen on the block."

"It wasn't much of a bad idea to watch Initial D with you after all, hah!" Max, proud of her own great idea, points a finger towards her monitor.

Victoria holds up her hands. "Nothing beats the first season, though!"

"That's true..." The other girl grasps her chin with the fingers and nods in agreement.

Blonde quickly snaps a pair of sunglasses from in front of her and puts them on. She pretends to drive a car, with all the sounds and shit. Don't look at me, she's behind this. "From this day on, whenever I'm driving, I'm listening to Eurobeat, it's just feeling wrong without those juicy beats." Victoria finally takes off her glasses, turning the car off... Thank god. "Fast girls and beautiful cars. That's the life worth pursuing."

"Now I am thankful that you don't own a Ferrari." Max's voice nervously cautious, while she puts a hand on the back of her neck.

She responds immodestly. "Pfft! One day I'll be poor enough to steal one..."

Max giggles, fiddling with her three-bullet necklace. "That's wishful thinking right there."

"They say that dreams come true, you know? And look, I am still cursed with your existence." Victoria's features contort.

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment. I'm glad I can be there to make each and every one of your days as miserable as possible." Brunette strikes up another well-trained, shit-eating grin.

"Truly agonizing." Victoria's supported on a palm chin trembles as the girl speaks with a blank face and supposedly bored-to-death intonation.

"Oh, right!" A realization came to her girlfriend.

"Huh?" Blonde girl's face loosens up in a split second.

Max rubs her palms together. "Talking about mental torment always whets my appetite."

_God damn, she's stealing my line again!_

"Hmm? I thought that's my kink."

"Who keeps company with wolves will learn how to howl." She explains wisely with an insight.

"True, true... I feel similar about your presence too. Now I am a hopeless dork as well. Uncurable case. It's just a matter of time for my family to disown me, while they are frequenting shady corners of the lousiest district in the town. Trying to find a beardy midget who happens to be a prestidigitator, who — they hope — can erase their memory so I am no longer an irritating, too-lively-at-the-moment, spoiled obstruction! Wa-wait..."

_Eh? Was I just talking to myself all this time? How those villains manage to do that and don't phase out?_

A familiar shape makes it way out from the kitchen doorway. Placing a quite large rectangular thing aside, Max clears her desk from any objects restricting her maneuverability and asks lovingly. "Hm? Were you saying anything while I was gone?"

"Ye- ... n-no, nothing..." Faint sigh spills from Victoria's mouth.

Other girl crouches and elevates the mysterious baking appliance visibly in front of the camera eye. It happens to be a tray, full of freshly baked cookies, lacking something in the beauty department. "Lo and behold! Baking Goddess Max created these on her own! Hehe, well... They are far from perfect, b-but they are edible! Poison and radiation-free or you get your money back!" Worry speaks from within her as she continues. "Not your life though..."

Victoria lets a chortle slip from her side. "Hey, these bad boys are not that gruesome."

"You think?" Max asks with a pretended pout.

Taking another sip, Victoria swings a punch yet again at Max's ego. "Yeah, they kinda remind me of you."

The girl on the receiving end raises her eyebrows questioningly. "What? How so...?"

Victoria lifts her fist and with every point, she straightens one finger. "They are bad for the body - like your cooking. They are teeth damaging - from constant gritting and they are all over the place - just like you." Her face manifests a snarky smile.

Brunette turns around to grab her old teddy bear and holds him in the air, starting a face to face conversation. "Captain... why is she such a meanie to us?"

Little bear (Max) answers with a husky voice. "I think I know Max. It's because she's a full-time bitch."

_Oh, I have a feeling it's gonna be good._

"Sir, please tell Max, that she's going to see some true bitching when I am back home." Victoria folds her arms, leaning back.

"You gonna get ya ass whooped, missy!" He exclaims after a quick glance on to the screen.

Blonde spits out a cheeky giggle.

"Wha...?! Captain! I thought you were on my side!" Max looks at the plushie in disbelief.

The old sea wolf retorts without a flick. "I'm on da side which is payin' more, loser!"

Victoria's laughter now starts for good.

Gasp exits Max's throat, as she elevates the bear higher and measures him with an angry gaze. "No snuggle time for you, little scoundrel, for at least a week!"

Captain turns his head silently towards the laptop. "Bollocks."

On the other side, Victoria tries not to fell out of her chair. Not being able to contain the outburst any longer. When her laugh subsides, she splays the digits on her stomach.

_Ouch... My guts hurt so much..._

Putting the bear on her lap, Max giggles, amused. "Hey there, aren't you having to much fun over yonder?"

The other girl gathers her bearings and takes a mouthful of her drink. "I-I am good... anyway, you can't blame me. Since we moved in together, my diet consists of nothing but sugar and hatred."

_Can't live without at least a daily teaspoon of the latter though!_

"Hah! Jokes on you! I know that the moment your foot steps inside this house, you will throw yourself at those cookies and devour, no! Not even that! You will inhale, no, no... YOU'LL ABSORB THEM!" Max swings her arms around in an exaggerated manner.

_Unfortunate... She knows me too well._

"F-fuck..." Victoria's facade cracks with every second. "you." Harnessing the snicker which is creeping up her gullet, she loses the resolve at last.

Max joins in and they dissolve into laughter. Minute pasts and the opposite girl chimes in.

"Okay cupcake, I'll need another glass for this one, B.R.B!" Then she gets up and strolls, heading for the hallway.

"A-another one?! Vic...? Victoria! You the-"

_What?! I can't hear you, sorry!_

Victoria starts to hum, purposely ignoring her girlfriend, as she walks out of her suite.

\---

_Face off time._

When she returns, closing the door, she takes the seat again "I'm back baby, something I've missed?" and opens a brand new, ice cold can.

With the scene in front of her, Max's curiosity gets better of her. "Is that Jack Daniel's in a can?"

"Yup! It's even written here 'A perfect mix of whiskey & cola', damn straight!" Victoria answers, lifting the object up to the camera and sliding her finger along the sentence.

Max's giggle traverses both exteriors. "You are such a drunkard, I swear."

_Yeah, yeah. Just point your finger at poor ol' Vic._

"Excusez-moi, mon chéri! I am a connoisseur, not some hillbilly, chugging down his moonshine, having a blast, listening to the best tracks of all time, during the 56th Arkansas Annual Banjo Extravaganza." Brunette chuckles, hiding it in a palm. "I have my standards and I can drink responsibly!"

She lets out another cheerful giggle. "Maybe we can make it for at least the 60th one."

"You serious?" She ponders for a while.

_Hmm... that actually sounds kinda fun. Who would have thought, that I would ever say such a thing?_

Victoria's face now deep in thought, her arms crossed. "Well... who knows, maybe, maybe."

Max smiles widely with happiness brightening up her demeanor. "You mentioned something that you 'need a glass for', so what's the deal?"

_No running away now._

"Hah, you got me. I have a little surprise for you... but I don't know. Were you nice enough to me today? Hmm." Blonde taps her fingers on the chin.

"Oh come on! Spill the beans already..." Short-lived annoyance makes Max roll her eyes.

"Okay, okay! So... I'm aware that you are my fan number one and with that come, hmm... Let's say - 'special perks'."

An impatient question appears from the other side. "Which include...?"

"Business secrecy! Ugh, just let me finish, alright?"

Brunette props the head on her fist and replies sarcastically. "Go on, Rockefeller."

_Just wait till I'm back in Seattle..._

The other girl frowns "Hmph! Anyway..." and then clears her throat, all serious. "After many hours of heated discussion with my agent, both of us agreed — some internal struggle involved — to give you, your own private, little show, just for funsies... and recognition!"

Max's eyes light up, her visage transformed with awe. "Wowser... that's really swee-"

_No, no, nope! None of that crap!_

"Whatever you say, cultist..." Victoria heaves her hands up, with the intention to interrupt.

Bows and praises start to take place on-screen. Max's sniggering muffled with the movement.

_She's such a bad influence on me, just look at her!_

"Goofball!" Victoria screams out in surrender.

"At your disposal, Milady." Yet again, shit-eating grin leaks from the pixels.

The blonde girl sits back straight and deadpans. "You are beyond saving point."

"And you are past your bedtime, lady. You got to wakey-wakey early tomorrow so rock and roll!" Max throws herself back into her seating, raising arms above the head.

_Is she now able to win every argument against me?_

"Very well, as you wish. Just get comfy, wrap yourself in a blanket, get yourself some hot cocoa an-"

"Victoria!"

_Hehe._

The aforementioned girl opens up YouTube and begins her search. "Calm down, lass. I am trying to find the right song, have some decency and at least show a tad bit of respect for the artist."

Her girlfriend grows even more eager. "You're clearly taking your sweet time."

_I'm gonna take your sweet soul if you don-_

"Oh shut it! Aha! Got it. Enjoy!" Victoria blows a kiss away and plays the audio.

Max's face flushes. "You are so cheesy!"

"I hate you too!" The opposite girl answers, lilting the line aloud.

Brunette treats her, bursting out with a pleased giggle. 

" _I used to spend my nights out in a barroom._  
Liquor was the only love I've known.  
But you rescued me from reachin' for the bottom.  
And brought me back from being too far gone."

" _You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey._  
You're as sweet as strawberry wine.  
You're as warm as a glass of brandy.  
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time."

" _I've looked for love in all the same old places._  
Found the bottom of a bottle always dry.  
But when you poured out your heart I didn't waste it.  
'Cause there's nothing like your love to get me high."

" _You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey._  
You're as sweet as strawberry wine.  
You're as warm as a glass of brandy.  
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time."

" _You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey._  
You're as sweet as strawberry wine.  
You're as warm as a glass of brandy.  
And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time."

" _You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey._ " Victoria drawls out for the intended effect.

"Was this what you were hoping for, babe?" She asks in a flirtatious voice.

_You are mine now..._

Max's face turns crimson red, as she hastily snaps a pillow from their bed and hides behind it.

"Ughhh! Too cheesy!" She squeaks, dragging every vowel out.

Warm-hearted laugh resonates throughout the hotel bedroom.

_Like I said... As easy as it gets._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and as always: Comments highly appreciated.


End file.
